Title: Education for the indigenous Ainu and entrepreneurship: an explanatory study

Authors: Tatsuyoshi Masuda

Addresses: Department of Economics, Hokusei Gakuen University, Atsubetu-ku, Sapporo 004-0042, Japan

Abstract: Higher educational background may promote employment in better paid jobs and foster the creation of businesses among the indigenous people. The Ainu parents, particularly who live in farming and fishing village areas, hope university graduation as their children's final academic background. The higher level of education contributes to improving the working conditions of the Ainu youth. However, a growing percentage of university enrolments are still much lower in the Ainu youth than the non-Ainu Japanese youth. Over all, we can clarify that the higher educational background contributes to mitigate a sense of social injustice and to increase an income level. One of further research fields is to examine the effects of the Ainu education on their entrepreneurship and independence.

Keywords: Ainu; educational background; entrepreneurship; identity; income level; self-employed; social injustice; Japan; indigenous peoples; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2014.063393

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2014 Vol.13 No.1, pp.41 - 57

Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article